What If
by Two Otaku Writing Fanfics
Summary: This fanfic follows the basic storyline of Naruto, with some minor deviations as we explore the crazy events and trails that would take place if we were in the Naruto world, living in the leaf village. *We don't own Naruto or its characters!*
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Hey guys! Minori here! Okay I'll just put it bluntly this is going to be a Naruto fic with ourselves in the story I hope you enjoy it! *We don't own Naruto or any of its characters!***

 **Prologue: Minori**

A small toddler lay unconscious a masked man knelt beside her making various hands signs. The mask he wore was orange with strips running over it, it only had one hole for an eye though it was still hard to see his eye. There was what looked like the air swirling in front of his eye and soon the large blue tiger like tailed beast known as the two tails appeared before him. The masked man quickly placed a hand on the two tails and one of the girl's bare stomach and the dark cave was bathed in a white light as the he attempted to trap the tailed beast inside the toddler.

A squad of fast moving Ninja jumped through the trees, a man with pitch black hair and sharingan eyes lead at the front and woman with dark brown hair was beside him her vivid blue eyes full of worry. "What do you think they want with her Shiro?" Shiro shook his head "I don't know Akira. But what I do know is whatever they want they won't get." He looked back at the inuzuka following them "Are we close?" The Inuzuka nodded "Yes, Her scent is getting stronger she is directly up ahead maybe a kilometre and a half." Shiro nodded and turned back to look ahead "Lets pick up the pace! We will show them why it's not a good idea to touch my daughter." The other two shinobi nodded in agreement.

The small toddler rubbed her eyes, her usually neat wavy black hair was now messy and dirty. She scanned her surroundings with cobalt blue eyes which soon shone with fear as the landed upon the masked man. "Minori. Don't be frightened I won't hurt you I will protect you. I have given you power and I can give you more if you help me." His tone was cynical and his sharingan eye gleamed in the little light he shone onto his masked face. Minori looked fearfully at the man before her whom had now out stretched his hand to her. _Who was he? What's the power he keeps talking about?_ Tears brimmed in her blue eyes and she looked around for an exit which she soon spotted, stumbling to her feet the small girl ran towards it. "Mummy! Daddy!" She half screamed, half sobbed "Where are you!" "There not here. You won't see them again." The masked man said now in front of her again. Minori stopped and fell back onto her backside, she looked up at him in horror tears now freely flowing down her face. "I want to go home!" "There's nothing there for you now Mi-" He was cut short by a woman screaming "Minori! Hang on!" Minori's eyes widened at the voice "Mummy!" She cried hope replacing the fear in her eyes as the squad of three appeared at the cave entrance and red and blue eyes ablaze with fury as they landed on the masked man.

 **AN: Alright don't hate me for giving myself the two tails I just really like cats! Nya! :3 Also if you were wondering how me having the two tails would work since Yugito has it well simply put we had Obito/Tobi/The masked man whatever you feel like calling him kill her for his plan that will be revealed later! Not sure how yet but it will be.**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Hey, Ari here! Hope you guys like this chapter and the many more to come. :3**

 **Prologue: .5 Ari**

Running through the forest on silent feet, following closely behind Hibiki with her small hand clutching the hem of his shirt, Ari is frightened of what lies ahead for them. Fear thrums through her fierce and strong.

The hurried sound of pursuit assaults their ears, but louder still is the whistling of sharp objects hurling through the air.

Wincing, all too aware of what this will mean for him, Hibiki stops and thrust Ari behind him. There isn't anything that he wouldn't do for her. She is small and defenceless compared to him. This is his job, to protect her.

A harsh yelp of pained horror from the juvenile fox that had been scouting their way, resounds eerily as several sebon hit his vital points, and kunai rip through him. Blood spurts forth in a violent splash of crimson bathing the ground at his feet moments before he buckles to his knees.

A satisfied smile pulls up the corners of his lips as the light begins to die from his eyes. The chocked screaming of men tells him that those closest to them have been caught in his trip wire trap; buying them some time for him to say goodbye to Ari.

She appears before him, tears flowing freely from her troubled eyes. She knows that he is dying, and it is the most heartbreaking thing to see a child who has never experienced such great loss or pain.

He grasps both of her small hands as she cries feebly for him not to go.

"Don't die Hibiki. I'm not ready." She pulls at his shirt with surprising strength. "I won't ever be ready." She sobs quietly.

Stroking the short strands of hair framing her face, blood forms at the corners of his mouth.

Lying down with a pain grunt, he beckons her nearer so he can look into her eyes. With time being of the essence before more pursuers catch up to them, casting her into a genjutsu to express his thoughts, wishes, and emotions to her is the only way remaining for him to say his goodbyes, though it will steal hers.

The young fox nuzzles his cheek affectionately as he tries repeatedly to cast the child into a genjutsu, but she won't look at him. She keeps trying to heal the damage to his body, but too much blood has already been lost. Pulling out and throwing away the sebon, she sets to work with medical ninjutsu exactly as she has been taught in simulation. Green light surrounds her hands hovering over the bubbling wound that will be the death of him.

She cries out in anguish as this doesn't work. The blood coats her hands and ruins her clothes, leaving her with horrifying images she will never forget try as she might.

Hibiki lifts a feeble hand, placing it over hers, and for the briefest second she looks at him, and it is enough. He has her now.

Showing her what he hopes her to find in life, the place he wishes her to go, and a few of his memories that she loved to experience through his calming genjutsu, is all that he can manage before his heart stops pumping blood around his body, and his chest stops rising and falling.

Blinking open her eyes as the genjutsu ends, she witnesses the light die from his eyes as he smiles softly. "The fox will take care of you. She knows the way to where I want you to go. Just look for that symbol on the bracelet I gave you." His eyes closing, he whispers. "Goodbye Ari."

Screaming in horror, she leans forward and gives it her last effort to save him, but he is already gone.

After licking his eyelids shut, the fox barely older than a pup pushes Ari from behind insistently as a single kunai flies over her shoulder, cutting one side of her hair shorter than the other. The blue strands float to the ground as she stands to run.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Heyo! Minori and Ari here this time! :3 This chapter will be written by the both of us, hope you enjoy!**

Chapter 1

" _Put me down!" Minori screamed as she squirmed in the grip of the Inuzuka who only shook his head. The small child looked teary eyed at the limp, bloody form of her mother and the two men fighting near the masked man, and her father. "You have to help them! We have to!" She pleaded._

" _I can't do that for you, I'm sorry your parents won't forgive me if i turn back."_

" _But we can't leave them!"_

 _The shinobi just shook his head again and kept running._

 _The ninja hound accompanying them gave Minori's hand a small lick in reassurance diverting her attention for a short moment._

 _When the girl looked back she witnessed something no child wants to see, a kunai plunging into her father's chest, and him in turn collapsing beside her already dead mother in what seemed like slow motion._

 _Bright blue eyes stared in horror and tears flowed down her cheeks "MUMMY! DADDY! NO!" She screamed out to the distancing forms._

 _She buried her head into the man's shoulder, her tears dampening his sleeve "Don't leave me." She murmured, knowing that they already had._

Minori sat up breathing heavily, beads of sweat covered her forehead and tears rolled down her cheeks, "Mum... Dad." she murmured to herself and hugged her knees to her chest. _I shouldn't be feeling bad for myself, look what just happen to the rest of the Uchiha, and Sasuke… it's selfish of me to be still thinking of something that happened four years ago._

She sighed and wiped away her tears before walking to the bathroom to get ready for the long day ahead. After washing her face off Minori looked up into the mirror bright blue eyes with cat like elliptical pupils now replacing her old normal pupils, and a swishing fiery blue striped tail behind her reminding her of what resided inside her. It wasn't kept a secret from Minori that she was the Two Tails Jinchuuriki especially since she frequently let her tail show by accident if she was to relaxed. Suppressing the power so the tail was no longer visible Minori turned to leave, she had changed into a long sleeved blue shirt that was slightly darker then her eyes, along with black shorts and her normal shoes.

Opening the door she found Sasuke, her cousin, waiting for her. Normally her would have been knocking in the door telling her to hurry up but he hasn't done that since the massacre, in truth Minori was shocked he was still walking to the academy with her but then again she was the only family he had left as he was for her.

"Morning Sasuke."

"Morning." He mumbled back to her. Now instead of one of the Uchiha pair never talking it was both. The pair walked in silence towards the academy wondering what Iruka sensei would teach them today.

Well hidden, Ari watched the kids that appeared to be of a similar age to her, arrive as they had the day before. She still didn't understand a thing about this strange place, or why it was that students gathered here to be taught skills. _Weren't they ever taught anything at home?_

She was however, certain that it would be bad for her if either she, or the young fox that had become her companion, were discovered here; but she was curious, and she wanted so badly to learn.

These lessons the kids were getting, were similar to those that she was being taught at home, but some of the techniques were new to her.

Trying her best to brush the dried blood from her clothes, she pulled on the shorter strands of pale blue that framed her face impatiently. She was frustrated with the fact that her side fringe was no longer even, but more then that, she wished that she could stop the silent tears traveling down her checks that hadn't stopped since his death.

They made things blurry and hard to see. Plus, she wasn't normally one to cry.

Previously, she had had nothing to cry over; living a peaceful life filled with lessons for a purpose that she would never again discover.

Minori watched blankly as the other kids laughed at the boy named Naruto's attempt at throwing the kunai, she didn't see the point in laughing at him it was mean and he was just trying his best.

"Minori! Your turn." Iruka called on her, she only nodded and took her place in front of the targets. Out of the corner of her eye she saw something, something blue, turning her head to get a better look she could make out that it was blue hair, that blue hair belonged to a girl. Without really thinking about it Minori throw one of Kunai into a tree level with the girl who was beside it.

"There's someone there." she said bluntly pointing to where she threw the kunai.

Choking back a scream of terror, Ari ducked instinctively with a glazed over appearance taking over her purple eyes. Memories of kunai flying through a forest, tore apart at her sanity, and her heart. She shook with violent tremors, her memories brought back by the whistling of the wind. They were drowning her, killing her inside.

The young fox jumped in front of her protectively with a vicious snarl at the child who threw the kunais in their direction. The fox didn't care whether the child had good or bad intentions, all she knew, was that she had brought harm to her master.

Iruka's eyes widened as the situation progressed rapidly close to being out of hand. _His own student had to tell him that there was someone there, watching them!_ "Inside everyone, and behave yourselves while I deal with this."

His students took their time going inside, most trying to steal a glance at this beaten up, dirty girl.

Approaching her cautiously, wary of the snapping creature hovering in front of her, the girl herself didn't appear to be dangerous. If anything, she appeared broken, beaten down and done.

With a heavy heart, Iruka persuaded the girl to come with him to the hokage, where he could only hope that she would be treated right.

 **AN: And that's the end of this chapter I hope you enjoyed it and I promise you it will get better story wise and all that so just bare with us :P - Minori**

 **:3 Every week there will be another update unless something crazy happens, sometimes even sooner if we're not too busy. The story will only progress from here and is guaranteed to pick up in interest, so settle in for the long haul guys! - Ari**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Hello again! Here is yet another joint chapter written from us both. Hope you enjoy, and I promise that the pace of the fanfic will pick up soon. :3**

Looking across the small training field, a sinking feeling griped Ari as she smiled outwardly at those surrounding her.

She hated those words with a fiery passion: _"Find a partner to work with on your kunai throwing skills with."_

The way that everyone excitedly buzzed with chatter, asking those around them 'if they wanted to partner', especially the girls fussing around Sasuke, made her feel angry in a way that she couldn't explain.

No one payed any attention to Naruto. Not even a glance in his direction. It was as if he wasn't even there.

She balled her small hands into fists, making up her mind to change that once and for all.

Gliding toward him on silent feet, she stopped midway with a sense of frustrated despair.

Naruto had stepped into Sasuke's path with an unkind expression. "You think you're so good, well you're not, your just a show off."

Sensing the rising tension, the fur along the spine of the fox by her side rose and her lips drew back slightly to reveal a peek at pointed teeth. With tensed muscles adding to this image, the young fox was clearly only waiting for permission before she jumped into the fray.

Ari flattened her hand, asking the fox to mind her manners as they made a hurried attempt to get in-between the two boys before a proper fight could break out.

She watched in horror as Sasuke's fist rose higher into a threatening position, staying there, not yet punching Naruto.

Something was said that she didn't quite hear, but his tone reached her loud and clear.

He was angry, real irradiated.

They both were.

Stepping in-between them, her back to Naruto, she glared at Sasuke, not at all frightened by his soulless expression. "You don't have a right to push him around just because you think you're all that."

Minori's fists clenched, she had been watching from the sidelines the whole time, Who did the Ari think she was? She knew nothing about Sasuke and has no right to speak to him like that. She took a step forth ready to give Ari a piece of mind but a firm hand on her shoulder stopped her, Minori looked behind her to see none other than her best friend Kiba shaking his head "Don't." He whispered. She shot a glare at him but relaxed and stood beside

Aware that others were watching, Ari smiled sweetly, a dead look to her deep eyes. "Let's go get this training over with Naruto. His attitude isn't worth the effort."

Ari wasn't certain why it was that she hadn't been afraid standing before Sasuke with his hand raised, but she somehow had enough confidence within her that she wasn't really in danger. Despite her high dislike for Sasuke, he never made her feel unsafe.

She didn't think he was a bad person, she simply didn't have the patience for the way that he looked down on others, and pushed them around, especially Naruto.

Standing before the target, Ari threw one of her kunai, crossing her fingers behind her back despite her rarely ever missing.

At the satisfying thunk of metal embedding in wood, she stepped back for Naruto to have a shot.

He didn't do so well, and she tried her best to help him improve his aim, but their practise was called to an end before she was able to help him make any real progress.

Returning to the classroom, running ahead to walk beside Shikamaru, you wouldn't expect just by looking at her, that she could ever be unkind. She looked like more like a child than any of her classmates, despite them all assembling now to take their test that would determine whether they passed the test to become a genin.

Minori sat in-between Kiba and Hinata, Shino was on Kiba's other side, the four of them had been assigned to the same squad, squad 8. Kurenai stood in front of the four a soft smile on her face "As you all know I'm your squad leader, Kurenai, How about we start off with quick introductions."

"Alright i'll go first! My names Kiba Inuzuka! I'm a dog trainer and this is my partner and best friend Akamaru!" Kiba pointed to the small white puppy sitting on his head which barked in response to Kiba.

"I thought i was your best friend?" Minori questioned playfully.

"You're my other best friend."

She rolled her eyes "I'm Minori Uchiha, I've been an orphan for nine years and i want to be a strong Shinobi that my parents would be proud of."

"I-i think your parents would be proud of you all the time Minori." Hinata smiled at the orphan

"I-i'm Hinata Hyuga and i want to be a strong Shinobi one day too."

"I am Shino Aburame, I'm a insect tamer, as a insect tamer i tame insects." He held out his hand to reveal a beetle "This is a-"

"We get it Shino! Your a bug freak!" Kiba yelled

"I was going to introduce my partners. You got to introduce yours."

"I have one! You have thousands! And you name them?"

"Yes this is Christina, you would already have known that if you hadn't interrupted me."

"How do you even remember them all! Let alone have the time to remember there names?!"

"Umm guys?" Hinata butted in "I don't think now is the time to be arguing."

"Yeah Kiba, Knock it off. If Shino wants to introduce Christopha then he can." Minori added

"It's Christina." Shino said bluntly.

"Same thing."

"No there is a significant dif-"

"Shut up Shino!"

Kiba snickered. "You shut up to!" Minori hit him over the back of the head and folded her arms over her chest. "Ow!"

Kurenai sighed this was an interesting squad, though she knew they would be excellent Shinobi and hopefully an excellent team.

Sitting on the roof beside Naruto, nearest to Kakashi, Ari wore a somewhat pained expression.

She was shocked to be put on the same squad as her adoptive father, and not at all pleased to be with Sasuke and Sakura, but at least she had Naruto.

That was the main thing that mattered anyway, she could learn to live with the other two.

Giving her a knowing smile, Kakashi asked for the members of his new squad to introduce themselves as the juvenile fox sat curled at his feet quite happily, baffling Ari's squad mates when she didn't let on to knowing him.

In an irritatingly high voice, Sakura asked with an innocent swing of her hands: "Introduce ourselves? Well, what are we supposed to say?"

"Things you like, things you hate, dream for the future, hobbies; things like that." Came their sensei's nonchalant reply.

"Why don't you tell us stuff first, I mean before we talk to us about you so we could see how it's supposed to work?" Naruto asked as he pulled a clueless face that brought an amused smile to Ari's face.

He remained patient. "Me, I'm Kakashi Hatake. Things I like and things I hate: I don't feel like telling you that. My dreams for the future: Never really thought about it. As for my hobbies: I have lots of hobbies."

Sakura stated the obvious. "That was totally useless, all he really told us was his name."

"Ok, your turn. You on the right, you first." Kakashi told them.

A wide grin spread across Naruto's face. "I'm Naruto Uzumaki! What I like is ramen, especially the kind at the Ichiraku Ramen shop. What I dislike is the three-minute wait after you pour in the boiling water. My hobbies are eating ramen. And my dream... is to be the next Hokage!"

Clamping a hand over her mouth, Ari stubbornly refused to laugh.

She found it truly adorable how hopeful and optimistic her friend was.

Following the rotation of the circle, the pinkett went next. "My name is Haruno Sakura. What I like is" she blushed in Sasuke's direction "or more like the person I like is...and my dream for the future is" she squealed loud enough that Ari was forced to place her hands over her ears to dull the painful sound.

"What I hate is NARUTO!"

Ari slung a supportive arm around Naruto's shoulder as he dealt with her harsh blow.

Kitsune peaked from beneath her paws that covered her face to be sure that the horrible sound had stopped, now replaced by the smooth sound of Sasuke's voice.

Ari was convinced it was his only good quality, because looks aren't everything.

"My name is Uchiha Sasuke. There are plenty of things I dislike, considering there is almost nothing I do like. It is pointless to talk about "dreams"...That's just a word...But one thing I have is determination. I am going to restore my clan and there is a certain someone who I have sworn...to kill."

A chill went down Ari's spine.

It was the first time that she ever felt fear toward Sasuke.

Rapid memories flashed through her brain of every time she had been in a dangerous situation between him and Naruto. All the times she could have been hurt, but had felt totally safe, now thrown in doubt and shadow.

A nervous tremor passed through her.

It was hard to push those thoughts away as she struggled to introduce herself. "I'm..." She stumbled over her own name.

She didn't know what to say as her last name since she didn't remember her real one, but she caught a meaningful look from Kakashi that confirmed that it was okay for her to tell them that she was his 'child' of sorts. "Hatake Arikashikara."

Sakura's mouth dropped open, and Ari was forced to hush Naruto before he exploded with questions. Even Sasuke sat up a little straighter.

"But you can just call me Ari. My name is to formal and princessie."

Kakashi struggled not laugh at her description of her name.

"I simply want to stand by Naruto's side, and watch as he accomplishes his dream to become Hokage. My only real desire for myself is to protect those I care about, and to master all the elements. I already know both earth and fire."

Kakashi nodded slowly as though thinking over what Ari said.

She gestured to the small fox yet to lose all her fluffy fur at their sensei's feat. "Oh, and this is Kitsune. We have been together for as long as I can remember."

Sadness drowned her, though outwardly she still smiled, as she was left alone in remembering her first memory of the fox running by her side, as they fought to keep their lives. Her first ever memory.


	5. Chapter 5

Minori waved Kiba a goodbye with a cheerful grin which soon disappeared once he was out of sight, she sighed Kiba had managed to help her be her normal self that she used to be before the kidnapping but it was only when he was around she felt comfortable enough to be herself. Minori became quiet the emotionless person after the kidnapping but Kiba had got to her after some time and managed to rekindle their friendship and bring her out of her shell slowly but so far it was working, Minori just didn't know how to act when she was alone or without him.

Spotting Sasuke in the distance Minori's thoughts were directed to something she thought of a problem that she had to deal with, the girl Ari, she couldn't stand the way she treated him and now they were on a squad together she had to put that girl in her place. Minori quickly and stealthily leapt onto a roof and began searching for Ari.

Ari strolled along carelessly with her fox trotting by her side with much more vigor than herself.

She had a faint sense that she was being followed from a greater distance, but she didn't really care. It was unlikely that anyone would want to do her harm, and if they did, it would give her a chance to test herself.

Vibrant blue cat like eyes stared at Ari from the bushes, she had managed to sneak up this close without being spotted or sensed. Springing out of the bushes she landed in front of Ari in a crouched position and glared at her with anger blazing eyes.

Ari jumped back in obvious surprise, but her tired eyes didn't change. "What do you want Minori?"

Minori's burning gaze turned into a dumbfounded expression from Ari's reaction but she soon shook it off and went back to glaring. "We need to talk." She growled as she stood up.

As if remembering herself, Ari smiled sweetly despite the unsettling glare, though the smile never reached her unchanging eyes. She could only fake happiness so far.

Kitsune leaned against her legs reassuring, her tail swaying back and forth slowly in a drown out theat. "Sure. You talk, I'll listen."

Minori growled, her nails quickly grew to become long claws and were placed by Ari's neck "Don't act like you're all that because you not." she hissed, Minori didn't have any intention of harming the girl, she just needed her to know she wasn't kidding around.

The faked smile slipped from Ari's face, her complexion becoming paler with slight confusion stirring in her eyes. She didn't think she was all that. She knew she was far from it, despite how she carried herself.

Retracting her claws, Minori returned her arm to her side before speaking "Stop being a bitch to Sasuke. You don't know him or what he's been through! He lost everything! And you treat him horribly!" She screamed tears forming in her eyes but never daring to spill.

"How would you feel if your brother killed your whole clan and then you were treated like dirt by some girl who just showed up not long after!?"

Pain flashed through Ari fast and fierce.

Warm tears slipped down her cheeks.

She knew what it was like to lose someone, but in a completely different way than he did.

She had no idea that this whole time, he had been trying to deal with his grief, not acting like a spoilt child.

Her bottom lip trembled as she spoke, her voice raw with emotion. "I didn't know...I just thought…I wanted to protect Naruto...I didn't know.

Guilt overwhelmed Minori as she saw her tears "I'm sorry i didn't mean to make you cry. Naruto is tougher than you think, I think Sasuke motivates him anyway." She spoke softly now, no longer an angry emotional scream.

Surprised to find that she was crying, Ari wiped the tears from her eyes onto her blue fingerless gloves that reached halfway up her arm. "I care for Naruto similar to how you care about Sasuke...I hate to see anyone treating him badly, and most don't even treat him like a living, breathing person with feelings. I think you might underestimate how it really makes him feel."

Minori scoffed "I think i know a lot more about how he feels then you think." Minori was aware that Naruto was like her but had been for longer, she had heard the adults speak about him and figured it out quite quickly. Her secret wasn't kept very well as a lot of villagers knew she was the two tails host because of an information leak.

Ari's eyes widened as she let out a startled squeak she was well known for, her hands flying to her mouth.

The claws…

Minori was just like Naruto... "I'm sorry! I guess I knew subconsciously that you two were the same, but I forget sometimes, because I don't see you two as different than anyone else."

A surprise took over Minori's face "You know about us? How? Naruto doesn't even know."

She shrugged. "I have good hearing and observation skills. I hear the villagers talk. Though I never heard anything about what happened to Sasuke…"

"That's surprising but then again the Uchiha massacre wasn't something people gossiped about for long, unlike me and Naruto who are seen as an issue." Minori sighed "I found out about Naruto due to my hearing as well, I have become very cat like since the kidnapping." Normally Minori wasn't so open but for some reason she sensed that this girl was someone she could trust.

Ari offered a soft smile, for real this time. A final tear slipped down her pale cheeks. "I think that's wrong, the way people see you two."

Kitsune's tail thrashed suddenly with an almost mischievous glint to her eyes moments before she leapt, her front paws colliding clumsily with Ari's leg. Now that the threat had passed, she had decided that it was time to play. Too much standing around made her bouncy and restless.

A high pitched squeak fell from the girl's lips in fright, her hands flying to her mouth.

Minori tried her best to contain her laughter but failed miserably "What was that sound?" She asked through her fit of laughter.

Ari covered her face in her hands, her fingers clamped tightly over her mouth.

She shook her head back and forth. "A mistake." Came the murmur from between her small hands. "I make that sound at everything." She groaned softly in utter embarrassment.

Kitsune looked up at her owner with her tongue half lowling out, clearly happy with herself.

Minori giggled but horror soon plastered on her face "No this isn't right." She took a few steps back before stumbling "It's not right to be happy, it's only okay if he is around, its betraying them. I'm sorry I'm sorry!" Spinning on her heels Minori speed off into the darkness breathing heavily and not really sure where she was running to.

Kitsune dropped to all fours with a confused whine as Ari took several fast paced steps after Minori, before slowing to a walk and finally stopping. "Wait!" She screamed feebly with her hands falling away from her face.

It wasn't her place to follow the girl, but she was worried.

Her emotions went to war with one another.

She obviously didn't want to be followed after taking off like that...but some of the things she said were truly baffling...and she was clearly hurting…

 **AN: Hey guys! So sorry there was no chapter last week or the week before we were a little busy but you will get last week's chapter (this one) and one more coming soon this week! And then we will hopefully be back on track. Let us know what you think and if you have any suggestions we will keep an open mind! - Minori**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: Hey there guys, Sorry if Kiba seems a little OOC in this chapter it's all for the story though so throughout it we will see this side of Kiba. Also this is a short chapter and i'm really sorry about that!**

Minori sprinted down the streets of Konoha tears running down her face, _how could I be happy when their not here? Am I allowed to? Is it right? Is it even okay for me to be when I'm around Kiba?_

Millions of thoughts raced through her head as she ran. Not watching where she was heading Minori ran smack bang into someone. She fall back but was caught by whomever she ran into.

Looking up, her tearful eyes locked with calm and concerned Inuzuka eyes. "K-kiba."

"I had a feeling you were up to something so I snuck out to track you down. Glad I did." He wrapped his other arm around her waist and pulled her into a hug. Minori buried her head into his grey hoodie dampening it with her tears. _Maybe it was okay with him, but is it okay to be happy when he isn't their?_

The wind gently blew Minori's dark hair out of her face, the moon that flittered through the leaves of the tree they now sat under illuminating her tear stained face. She was no longer crying but her eyes were still red and puffy. "Kiba."

"Mmm?"

"Is it okay for me to be happy?"

"Of course it is Minori. Your parents would you want you to be happy. They didn't die for you to live a sad miserable life full of guilt, they died so you could live a happy life and so you could grow into a fine shinobi to make them proud."

Minori stared up the sky not speaking a word. "Minori, you need to let go."

She let out a breath she didn't realise she was holding and nodded. "I'll try."

Kiba smiled "Good."

Silence floated between them for a while before Minori spoke "Hey what did you mean by 'up to something.'?"

"Oh I thought you were harassing someone about something, you seemed really peeved about something."

"I wasn't harassing anyone! For your information I was… I was… Informing Ari of something!"

"Pffft, I bet you were yelling at her about the way she treats Sasuke."

Minori laughed nervously "Maybe… Yeah. She understood though and I said sorry for making her cry. I think."

Kiba laughed and stood up "You're an idiot. Come on it's really late and we have that test Kurenai sensei was talking about tomorrow."

Minori grumbled something about him being the idiot and stood up walking a little faster to catch up to him.


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: Ari here! :3 This is going to be a short chapter on a mission entirely separate from the original series, but hopefully it's still interesting enough for you guys to read! I did my best to make sure that Sasuke wasn't to OOC in this chapter, but he did occasionally show a caring side, and this is meant to be a peak at that, and a growing relationship. If there is anything you would be interested in seeing in this fanfic, let us know in the comments.**

A terrible sinking feeling; a mixture of fear and excitement at being placed on such a high level mission with her squad, gnawed away at Ari.

She wanted everything to go perfectly. For it all to go on without a hitch.

The breeze whistled through the short strands of her hair, blowing out behind her like a light blue stream tipped with silver that could never be replicated.

She would have laughed out loud had it not been for the seriousness of the situation.

Smiling at Sasuke who she ran across from, following close behind Kakashi with their client safely huddled in the middle with Sakura and Naruto covering their backs, she was torn between enjoying herself, and reminding herself that this was a serious escort mission with high stakes.

She couldn't help but to enjoy moving at such speed with her rapidly growing fox running by her heels, in the company of her beloved squad, doing her job.

Sadly for her though, there proved to be truth in her unease.

A sick whistling of sharper precision than the wind moving past her ears, and the low thunk of a sebon implanting in a tree, made all her muscles tense as a thin line of blood appeared on her cheek. It had merely grazed her, but it showed a great skill from the wielder to be able to injure her so minorly while she was on the move.

Moments before she could open her mouth, Kakashi gave the order. "Watch yourselves. I'm afraid to say, we have fallen into an ambush."

Instinctively their circle around the client became tighter, protecting.

Several men in dark clothing jumped from the shadows, some even slipping from the trees.

They were everywhere.

Naruto moved to jump into the fray as Sasuke left them to make a move on their enemy after a moment's hesitation, but Kakashi caught his arm. "Don't do anything rash here."

Before long, they all had their hands full trying to protect their charge, as well as make it out of this situation as close to uninjured as possible.

Even as Ari jumped into action, she could hear her father faintly yelling for her to stop.

She headed straight for the middle, hearing sounds of a struggle, knowing that Sasuke had disappeared there.

Her choice to go to him, turned out to be the difference between her staying by the others side for far longer than she imagined.

Appearing by his side, her blood boiled. This wasn't a fair fight. Sasuke was out number, three to one, but she was going to change that now she was here.

She sent a brief glance in the others direction, narrowly blocking a blow.

Sasuke didn't say anything to her, but he didn't look particularly happy to see her either, her heart falling even a little.

Bit by bit her and Sasuke were forced further and further back, kunais slashing through the air, blood spraying, pained grunts, coppery scent, warm adrenaline, all overwhelming her keen senses.

Her sensei's call to her broke her heart. "Go! You two need to get out of here! We're going to fall back too, we'll meet up and regroup later, you know where to go."

She couldn't bare it.

The thought of leaving them behind until they could make their own escape made her feel sick to her stomach, but she wasn't left with much choice. They were her sensei's orders, and more than that, she was worried over a deep wound pouring dark blood down Sasuke's leg.

Breaking away from her fight, shoving Sasuke with her roughly when he didn't intend to stop, she forced him to retreat with her.

He wouldn't like her for that.

No.

He'd probably hate her, but orders were orders; no matter how demeaning, or infuriating.

As they ran, they rapidly lost light, until the point where the sun went down completely, and they were thrown into darkness before they found a safe place relatively out of the wind, and had stopped being pursued.

Sasuke hadn't said a word to her, and continued not to as he settled on a patch of uncomfortable looking grass, clutching at his bleeding leg with knuckles turning white, expression tight.

Ari approached cautiously, hands outstretched and glowing green with subtle chakra. "Don't fight me. I-I can heal that. I know you're mad with me right now, but just let me help, then I'll move away."

He grunted at her noncommittally, which she took as about as big a sign of recognition of what she said as she was going to get.

Waving his hands away, replacing them with her own rapidly glowing ones, she healed his wound as he pretended not to watch with surprising speed.

"How did you learn to do that?"

She stood abruptly, moving away from him to curl up on a fallen log molded comfortably enough to sleep on, rather than the damp ground where he stayed.

Her back to him, she answered softly with her hands tucking under her cheek as a makeshift pillow, kitsune forcing her to make room so she could sleep by her feet. "Back home."

She could feel his glare as she tried to force herself to get some rest, knowing all too well he would want first watch.

After what seemed like forever, she finally fell asleep, met with restless dreams.

They swallowed her consciousness, making her shake and her breaths uneven, sharp and painful.

She dreamed off all the terrible things that could have happened to her squad, the injuries they might have she could have treated had she been there, the ways she could have done her job better today, how she should have done things.

Waking drenched in a cold sweat to the soft calling of her name…"Ari…..Ari….you okay?"

She heard Sasuke move, and felt his warm breath on the back of her neck.

He brought his hand up, almost touching her shoulder, but he pulled away as tears rolled down her cheeks. "You're only dreaming. Grow up and stop being such a child." The words weren't spoken harshly though, and they made her feel safe; certain in the fact that tomorrow, everything would be okay as long as she could stand by his side.

A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips. She liked the sound of that…. _standing by his side..._


End file.
